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Post by ttfr on Aug 9, 2011 22:58:46 GMT -5
Hey yall, The momma rat with mycoplasm passed away this evening. I had just come home and saw her stretched out. Being curious at to if her lungs had lesions, and why her belly stayed swollen, I took my mad science skills at disecting a pig fetis  and opened her up. What I saw has me wondering. I was expecting a tumor in her belly or a mass but I found her large intestines were extremely LARGE. The end of her intestins were packed with this dirt substance. Reminded me of sand or watered down grain. I also noticed a small ulcer/lesion in the inner wall. The intestines had been the bulg in her belly. Her lungs were spotted white instead of red. I am guessing they too are leisions of some sort. So...Mycoplasm was the culprit? I also did not find any signs of her being able to carry a next litter. She had been mated before I found her gasping and had a large belly. Hoping she couldn't hold any and reabsorbed them. She died not pregnant. So my question is: Will the babys from her last litter have the disease? I know it is like many diseases and is passed through offspring, etc. |
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Post by Sherry on Aug 10, 2011 0:08:26 GMT -5
Out of curiosity- why not just have a necropsy done?
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Post by ttfr on Aug 10, 2011 0:30:27 GMT -5
Well..These guys are feeders. The momma had shown signs of a problem so I tried to ease her difficulties. I didn't want to cull her but I didn't want her to a full pet. So while she was with me, I called the vet to talk about what to do, made a post, etc. He told me extra high vitamin (A, B, and C) fresh foods, maybe some of the ferret soup for protein, and non dust bedding would help. Which it was working up untill today.
I was talking to a vet freind and she said the spots are most likely a cancer but she wasn't 100% sure on ratties. I am just hoping it was nothing contagious that will be passing on to the babys I am growing up from her only litter. I may just cull everyone and keep things safe. A large dumbo female would be nice for bigger sized weasel food.
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Post by katt on Aug 10, 2011 4:51:44 GMT -5
I passed this on to Candice - hopefully she will find time to pop in. She knows a lot about rodents and mycoplamsa.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Aug 10, 2011 7:52:21 GMT -5
Cancer will cause white spots on lungs and other organs.
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Post by Sherry on Aug 10, 2011 9:31:10 GMT -5
And unfortunately, since the tissue wasn't examined, you've got no way of knowing if it was contagious or not.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2011 20:52:49 GMT -5
I have not heard of white spots correlating to mycoplasma but it is entirely possible. Only an exotics vet doing a necropsy would be able to tell you but as someone mentioned cancer could have been a possibility. As for whether her babies from prior litters have Mycoplasma, it is almost absolutely certain that they have it if she did and may even be exhibiting symptoms already, as would all the rest of your stock if they have contact with them (being in the same room). It is highly contagious and a lot of people do not notice the symptoms because if they have had rats before they have almost always been infected being pet store stock they come infected. You can tell when they make funny breathing noises by lifting them to your ear and listening against their lungs and chest, and putting their mouths to your ear - for me it has sounded like rasping, rattling, clicking, and popping noises. They will also not be terribly active when they should be (being nocturnal  ) and often huddle and squint, you may often see rapid side movement (difficulty breathing). Here is a very good link: ratguide.com/health/bacteria/mycoplasma_mycoplasmosis.php |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2011 1:26:21 GMT -5
All rats, but lab rats, carry myco. Most of them never even suffer from it, just carry the illness hidden inside them. Some, mainly those with compromised immune systems (but that can be caused by simple things like stress as well), will develope the disease further & eventually die from it. Even rats uneffected can develope lung scaring, which rats that become 'sick' with it will also develope. It's often simply seen as white lesions/spots on the liungs, which can be filled with a fluid substance.
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Post by xclairex on Aug 11, 2011 2:00:23 GMT -5
was this a pet rat??  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2011 3:18:01 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2011 4:31:36 GMT -5
Claire, I believe momma rat was a breeder for feeder mice.
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Post by goingpostal on Aug 11, 2011 14:37:41 GMT -5
That was a really interesting website, I'd heard of myco but don't breed rats, it is an issue in mice as well? Sounds like your momma rat had a couple issues going on, do you know how old she was?
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Post by katt on Aug 11, 2011 15:49:18 GMT -5
Claire, I believe momma rat was a breeder for feeder mice. Breeding rats for feeder mice...  Why that would be a medical miracle! ;D ;D ;D ;D    |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2011 16:09:02 GMT -5
Oops ;D
Momma rat for feeder rats ;D
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Post by katt on Aug 11, 2011 17:27:43 GMT -5
Hey I'd be stoked if I could have a rat who birthed a large litter of mice! Then I could have myself a pet rat, and still get feeder mice!!!!  |
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